As I
have previously posted, mashups are powerful, useful tools for web development.
But, as I have talked about in previous posts, they sadly contain a number of
significant drawbacks. The article linked to above outlines in detail some of
the more significant problems facing mashup sites and services, including the
handling/mashing of private data, the protection of data by authentication,
problems with getting readable data, and the copyright issues that surround the
use of such data.
Probably
the most significant issue outlined by the article is the copyright issues with
the data and services being mashed. The article explains that while there are
ways to control access to content and services being mashed, there are no real
systems to help control copyrights on such content and services. It uses the
example of craigslist blocking data all data from being used in mashups,
because a Yahoo service was using some of that data for commercial purposes,
which craigslist did not like. The article proposes a system that would help
websites filter where their data is going based on who is requesting to use the
data.
As for
what I think about the copyright and licensing problems that face mashups sites?
To me, it seems that copyright problems are going to be a major problem for
mashups going forward, and those active in web development really need to
consider the copyrights on the data they are using and how that might affect
their own sites functionality. It doesn't seem like an issue that can safely be
ignored, especially as mashup services become more and more ambitious,
combining a greater number of separate services into one (Samson). As such,
attempts to resolve the problem naturally and simply, possibly using the
internet’s natural architecture as outlined in the article above, should be
pursued vigorously. Perhaps some sites could provide a special section of the
site with data formatted specially for mashup sites, or perhaps they could
confirm with the DNS servers that the host being connected is a site they want
to be using the data. Whatever the case, testing such solutions should be a
major focus for those concerned with the future of web development.
So, what
are the thoughts of others on this matter? How important should copyright
issues be to those designing mashup based webpages? What should be done to help
those seeking to protect their copyrights?
Citation:
Samson, Ted. “The great Dropbox-Twitter-Facebook mashup arrives.” InfoWorld. IDG International Data Group, Sept.
2011. Web. 30 April 2013.
<http://www.infoworld.com/t/cloud-computing/the-great-dropbox-twitter-facebook-mashup-arrives-173341>
-Noel Hansen.
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